Advice to those trying to figure it out, from a college senior...

by Hannah Stebbins

Every holiday break or summer for the last four years, I repeatedly was asked the same questions: How do you like college? Can you believe you are a [insert grade]? What do you want to do after graduation?

If you are a college student, have ever been a college student, or have children who are college students, you know exactly what I’m talking about. I used to be overwhelmed by these questions, but now I understand why prodding family members won’t leave you alone at the Thanksgiving table. Adults can’t help but be interested in an individual still navigating their life.

My response is always the same: I love college. In my situation, this is the truth. College came at a time in my life where I was looking to meet people, explore a new city, and keep an open mind about anything thrown in my direction. My flaw is that I find it difficult to look past the present and on to the future. For some people, college is not the best four years of their lives and that’s fine. Rather than lie when people ask you that question - express your concerns and discover a path that makes you happier. Maybe that means transferring, changing majors, going abroad, or ditching a toxic friend group.

“College is just as much about personal growth as it is academic.”

College is just as much about personal growth as it is academic. I credit a portion of my success and happiness to the people I surround myself with. The professors who have office hours for a reason. The friends I have because somebody had the guts to just say hi. The family members who call to check up.

At the start of senior year, I worked as a First Year Seminar Mentor assisting a group of fourteen “first years” in their transition from high school to college. Through this position, I had responsibilities similar to a Teacher’s Assistant for a course they were enrolled in. I provided personal and academic guidance throughout the first semester, from orientation to finals. In my personal life, I have a full time position as an older sister to a college freshman.

I will tell you what I told them: Life goes by fast. You are not the same person that you were in high school. And that’s okay! Change is good. Explore, explore, explore. Invest in relationships. Make your higher education experience the best it can be, even if it’s not the paradise you imagined. Transitions can be difficult but there will always be people who have your back. Don’t be afraid to ask for help or express confusion. That doesn’t make you weak, it makes you brave.

And, trust me, you don’t have to know the answers to those questions adults love to ask. Good luck!

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Hannah Stebbins graduates in May from Trinity College in Hartford. She plans to pursue a career in communications, education, or some combination. People-watching is her favorite form of training, both in writing and life.  She believes if everyone was less afraid of what others think about them, we’d all be better off.